Attachment mechanism

ABSTRACT

An attachment mechanism for grasping an object such as an automobile tire. The attachment mechanism includes a number of clamp members pivotally connected to an inner plate. The clamp members fit around and grasp the object, and are adjustable to fit around objects of different sizes. The attachment member may be used, for example, as a locking mechanism for an automobile attachment such as a portable cover. The attachment mechanism locks onto the tires without any support from the ground. The frame for the automobile attachment can then be coupled to the attachment mechanisms, which provide the necessary support for the cover.

This is a Division of Application Ser. No. 08/404,491, filed Mar. 17,1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,300.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to means for protecting anautomobile from the elements. In particular, the present inventionrelates to automobile covers that are portable and easily assembled andto an attachment mechanism used to couple the frame of the automobilecover to the wheels of the car.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One of the considerations of owning an automobile is protecting it fromthe elements. Many people have garages or carports, but in some urbanareas, this is not practical. In most cities, street parking or alleyparking is most common. Beaches often provide parking in large, open,sandy lots that offer no protection for cars from the damaging rays ofthe sun. Further, even if the owner of the automobile has a garage athome, he is not guaranteed a cover for his car when he reaches hisdestination. For owners of expensive or classic cars, whether protectionwill be provided is a major factor in deciding whether the automobilewill be driven to a particular destination.

Portable car covers have been designed for protecting automobiles fromthe elements. Most automobile covers are simply tarps that are used tocover the car, and are attached to the car in some manner, such as bytying the tarp to the bumper. These tarp style covers are not adequateto truly protect the car. They themselves contact the car, and maysometimes cause damage to the finish due to abrasion. Further, if leftin contact with the automobile for too long, moisture can developbetween the tarp and the car body, where it is trapped and can causerust.

Other automobile covers have been designed which do not contact the bodyof the car. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,977 to Flores et al.discloses a portable frame with an attached tarp-like cover. The frameconsists of telescoping tubes that provide a shape for the cover. Theframe is supported by parking the automobile on four base portions thatare attached to the bottom of the frame. While this device provides someprotection for an automobile, it is difficult to assemble. Because theautomobile must be driven onto the base portions, these must be in placebefore the car is parked. This makes the device impractical in cityparking situations, where a car must usually be parallel-parked in asmall space. This car cover is also impractical for use with anautomobile that is parked on a hill.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,030 to Johnson discloses a similar automobile cover.This cover is an improvement in that it includes cross-members on theframe, making the cover more stable, particularly in windy weather. Likethe Flores device, however, the automobile must be driven onto four baseportions in order to anchor the frame. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No.4,655,236 discloses a similar frame that includes a removable spacerresting on the roof of the automobile that provides an incline forcausing rain to run off the sides of the cover. U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,321to Moyet-Ortiz discloses a similar cover, albeit one with a more complexframe that more completely covers the automobile. Both of these devicesrequire that the automobile be driven onto base units to anchor theframe.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,036,583 to Miller discloses another automobile cover.While this device only requires two base portions to support the frame,it is still required that the automobile be driven onto the baseportions to anchor the device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,083 also discloses anautomobile cover that entirely encloses the parked car. However, theautomobile must be driven onto an entire platform in order to anchor theframe. This renders the device less than portable.

While the references devices all provide automobiles with differingdegrees of protection from the elements, the designs are somewhatimpractical. Some do not provide enough protection, only shading theautomobile from directly above. The devices that provide more protectionare more complicated, making them more difficult to assemble and store.All of the devices require at least some base to be put in place beforethe automobile is parked, making them impractical, especially for cityuse, or when covering the automobile is an afterthought. What is neededis a simple, portable automobile cover that provides protection for thecar, is easy to assemble and store, and which can be completelyassembled and put into place after the car has already been parked.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide anautomobile cover that can be disassembled and easily stored in a cartrunk.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an automobilecover that does not come into contact with the body of the automobile.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automobilecover that is easy to assemble.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an automobilecover that can be assembled in its entirety after the car has alreadybeen parked.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide anautomobile cover that adequately protects the parked car from theelements.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide anautomobile cover that can be used with an automobile that is parked on ahill.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon inspection of thedetailed description, drawings, and appended claims.

The present invention is a portable automobile cover that can beassembled in its entirety and attached to the automobile after theautomobile has been parked. No bases anchored under the parked car areneeded because the frame of the cover attaches directly to the outsidesof the wheels of the automobile, rather than beneath the tires. Once theattachment mechanisms are connected to the wheels, the remainder of theframe can be assembled, and a flexible cover is attached to the frame.The frame is adjustable to fit to any size wheel and any size car ortruck. Because a vehicle does not have to be driven onto a number ofbases, any difficult to park vehicle such as a boat on a trailer or amobile home can be provided with cover by a variation of the presentinvention.

The present invention may also be used when the vehicle is parked on ahill, as it does not rely on anchored bases and can be adjusted to tiltin order to adapt to the grade and keep the cover level.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an example of a frame to be used as part of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 shows a detail of an adjustable locking pole.

FIG. 3 shows a sample mechanism for attaching the present invention tothe automobile wheels.

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the top view of an example wheel attachmentmechanism.

FIG. 5 shows the preferred mechanism for attaching the present inventionto the automobile wheels.

FIG. 6 shows a detail of the top view of the preferred wheel attachmentmechanism.

FIG. 7 shows the present invention fully assembled and attached to anautomobile.

FIG. 8 shows an alternative fully assembled vehicle cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows an example frame as it would look after assembly andattachment to an automobile. The wheel attachment mechanisms 1, 2, 3,and 4 are shown as they would be attached to the wheels of theautomobile. The upper frame 5 is attached to the wheel attachmentmechanisms 1, 2, 3, and 4 by adjustable masts 6, 7, 8, and 9 to providea skeleton for a flexible cover. The upper frame 5 shown in FIG. 1 is anexample of a frame that can be used as part of the present invention.Other shape frames are also contemplated for use with the presentinvention.

As shown, the upper frame 5 is adjustable to fit different sized cars.Adjustable masts 6, 7, 8, and 9 are attached to the wheel attachmentmechanisms 1, 2, 3, and 4 as shown, and connect the upper frame 5 to thewheel attachment mechanisms 1, 2, 3, and 4. Although four adjustablemasts are shown, one for each wheel attachment mechanism, more may beused, depending on the size and shape of the upper frame. The masts areadjustable in length to accommodate any size vehicle.

The upper frame includes a number of longitudinal and transversemembers. The example shown in FIG. I has four longitudinal members 10,11, 12, and 13 and three transverse members 14, 15, and 16. It iscontemplated that the present invention may have any number oflongitudinal members, transverse members, and diagonal bracing membersnecessary to accommodate the size and shape of the particular vehiclebeing protected. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the two longitudinalmembers on either side are attached to each other using T-connecters 17and 18, and are connected to the transverse members through theseT-connecters and through four elbow T-connecters 19, 20, 21, and 22. Themasts are also connected to the upper frame at the elbow T-connecters.Other types of connecters may be used to suit the particular size,shape, and design of the upper frame. For example, if two masts are usedper wheel attachment mechanism, one may be attached to the upper frameusing an elbow T-connecter, while the other is attached to the upperframe through a sliding sleeve on the longitudinal member.

As shown, any of the members used to construct the frame may be adjustedto fit the vehicle to which it is attached. In the example frame shownin FIG. 1, the masts can be adjusted to provide the necessary height,while the longitudinal members adjust to provide length and thetransverse members adjust to provide the necessary width. In alternativeembodiments, upper frame members may connect at angles to other members,or members may be hinged to adapt to a different shape.

The masts, longitudinal members, and transverse members are all polesthat are adjustable in length. FIG. 2 shows a detail of an adjustablepole 23 suitable for use with the present invention. The adjustable pole23 includes a rod 25 and an outer sleeve 24. The outer sleeve 24 slidesalong the length of the rod 25 to provide the desired length. Once thedesired length is attained, the pole 23 is temporarily fixed at thatlength through the use of a locking mechanism. For example, a twistlocking mechanism may be used whereby a pin in the rod 25 is engaged ina groove in the sleeve 24 by twisting the rod 25 and/or sleeve 24.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show different views of an example wheel attachmentmechanism 30. The wheel attachment mechanism 30 clamps to the wheel toprovide a stable base for the frame. Each wheel attachment mechanism 30includes a brace 50, a shaft 51, and a number of clamp members, theexample shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 having three such clamp members 32, 33,and 34. It is preferred that three clamp members be used in order toprovide a secure grip on the wheel of the vehicle.

The structure of each clamp member includes two main pieces. The firstpiece is a radial arm in the form of a substantially straight piece oftubing that radiates from the axis of the shaft 51. The other piece is aswing arm that is formed such that it can attach around thecircumferential periphery of the tire. For example, a U-shaped membercan clamp around the outside of the tire. The proximal end of the swingarm attaches to the radial arm, while the distal end of the swing armfits around the back side of the tire. The swing arm is free to rotateabout the axis of the radial arm while putting the wheel attachmentmechanism in place. The swing arm may slide inside the radial arm, asshown in FIG. 3, or the radial arm may slide inside the swing arm, asshown in FIG. 4.

One clamp member is preferably located such that it can be clamped overthe top-most portion of the tire, that is, at the twelve o'clockposition. For example, FIG. 3 shows a clamp member 32 at this position.The clamp member in the twelve o'clock position has a radial arm 35 thatis in a fixed position with respect to the shaft 51. The brace 50 isplaced against the center of the wheel hub and the top swing arm 36 isextended with respect to the radial arm 35 until it can be swung overand hooked onto the top of the tire. The swing arm 36 is then lockedinto place with respect to the radial arm 35. One way in which the swingarm 36 can be locked into place is through the use of a locking pin 37that is pushed through coaxial holes 38 in the swing arm 36 and theradial arm 35. The locking pin 37 may be of the spring-release type. Aseries of holes may be provided so that the wheel attachment mechanismcan be used with vehicles having different size wheels. The swing arm 36may also be adjustable to fit tires having different widths, in order toprovide a secure clamping grip on the wheel. This may be accomplished byforming the swing arm in two pieces connected in a reciprocating mannerby a spring-loaded device 39. Once the swing arm 36 is adjusted to theappropriate width, the pieces can be locked in place with a pin, orlocking key 40. Using a locking key will deter theft of the presentinvention while the owner is away.

The other two clamp members 33 and 34 have a construction similar tothat of the first clamp member 32. One clamp member 33 includes radialarm 52 and swing arm 53, and the other clamp member 34 includes radialarm 54 and swing arm 55. These clamp members, however, are free to pivotabout the shaft 51. Thus, after the first clamp member 32 is in place onthe tire, the remaining clamp members can be positioned about the wheelfor the best fit. An inner lock ring 56 and an outer lock ring 57 keepthe pivoting clamp members locked into position.

The pivoting clamp members 33 and 34 pivot about the shaft 51, whichextends from the center of the brace 50. The shaft 51 may be attached tothe brace 50 by a pivot ball and snap ring assembly 58, or by some otherconnecter that provides a degree of flexibility. The outer end of theshaft is capped by a handle 41. The handle 41 covers the outside end ofthe shaft, while providing a convenient place for grasping the wheelattachment mechanism 30. The brace 50 is preferably large enough tocover any lug nuts that may be exposed, deterring theft by wheelremoval. A locking key 60 can also be used to secure the handle to theshaft.

Also attached to the shaft is at least one radial mast arm, which isalso free to pivot about the shaft. This mast arm is shown in FIG. 3 inone position 43 and in FIG. 4 in another position 60 to illustrate thefree pivoting ability of the mast arm. Referring to FIG. 3, the mast 42attaches to this mast arm 43, preferably by sliding into or around themast arm 43, and is locked in place in some manner, preferably with apin 45. Once the mast 42 is locked into place, the area around which themast 42 and the mast arm 43 are connected may be enclosed by aprotective cover, such as a foam bumper 44. This cover protects thefinish of the vehicle from any contact that would occur between the mast42 or mast arm 43 and the vehicle. A plate 31 is attached to the shaft51. This plate 31 is keyed so that the mast arm 43 can be locked intoplace.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show different views of the preferred design for thewheel attachment mechanism. This embodiment allows the clamp members tobe folded flat for easy portability. This design also provides for themast to be adjustable over a 180 degree arc, allowing for greatflexibility in shaping the completed vehicle cover. The range ofadjustment of the mast also allows the vehicle cover to be kept level,even when the vehicle is parked on a grade. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6,this embodiment includes three clamp members, one upper clamp member 70and two lower clamp members 71 and 72. These clamp members areadjustable for tire diameter and width as in the previously describeddesign. Push handles 73 may be attached to the clamp members to assistin adjusting the clamp member elements.

The core of the wheel attachment mechanism is a spring-loaded tube andhandle assembly. This assembly includes an outer tube 74, an inner tube75, and a handle 76 and is connected to the brace by a pivot ball andsnap ring assembly 77. The inner tube 75 contains the spring 78 andslides inside the outer tube 74. The spring 78 is fixed to the brace 79at the distal (wheel) end. The handle 76 includes a tube 80 at thedistal end that is closed except for a small opening 81 through whichthe proximal (handle) end of the spring 78 passes. The proximal end ofthe spring 78 is attached to the handle 76 inside the handle tube end80. The handle tube end 80 slides inside the inner tube 75, compressingthe spring 78 and providing pressure that presses the brace 79 againstthe wheel. The closed end 82 of the handle tube 80 acts as a spring stopto compress the spring 78 as the handle 76 is pushed toward the wheel.When the wheel attachment mechanism is in place, the spring-loaded tubeand handle assembly is kept in the compressed state through the use of atube locking pin 83 or other locking mechanism. When the pin 83 isremoved, compression is released and the wheel attachment mechanism canbe removed.

An inner plate 84 and a key plate 85 are fixed to the outer tube 74,with the upper clamp member 70 and the radial mast arm 86 connected tothe outer tube 74 between the inner plate 84 and the key plate 85. Theinner plate 84 is preferably a circular shaped plate fixed to the outertube 74 such that the outer tube 74 passes through the center of theinner plate 84 and the axis of the outer tube 74 is substantiallyperpendicular to the face of the inner plate 84. The key plate 85 ispreferably a semi-circle that straddles the top of the outer tube 74.The radial arm 87 of the upper clamp member 70 is fixed to the proximalface of the inner plate 84 and/or to the outer tube 74, so that theradial arm 87 always points substantially in the twelve o'clockposition.

The radial arms 88 and 89 of the lower clamp members are pivotallyattached to the inner plate 84. This allows the angle of the lower clampmembers 71 and 72 with respect to the upper clamp. member 70 to vary.Once the lower clamp members 71 and 72 are positioned to the desiredangle, they are held in place through a locking mechanism, such as aremovable pin through a hole in the inner plate. When the wheelattachment mechanism is removed from the wheel, the lower clamp members71 and 72 can be folded up against the upper clamp member 70, making thewheel attachment mechanism relatively flat for easy storage.

The radial mast arm 86 is connected to the outer tube 74 such that itcan rotate about the outer tube 74. Stops 90 and 91 may be provided onthe key plate 85 to prevent the mast arm 86 from rotating beyond 90degrees in either direction with respect to the upper clamp member 70,thus allowing a full 180 degrees of rotation. The key plate 85 is keyedto provide intermediate stops for the mast arm 86, so that the mast arm86 can be held in place when the desired angle is attained. This keyingmay be provided by a series of holes in the key plate aligning with ahole in the mast arm 86, which can be held in place by a removable pin.If more than one mast arm is used, a series of mast arms and key platesmay be connected to the outer tube 74.

The material used to construct the elements of the frame is preferably alightweight, strong metal or a heavy, sturdy plastic. Many of the framemembers can be tubular to make them lighter. The material used toconstruct the wheel attachment mechanism is preferably a durable metalthat can withstand repeated applications.

Once the frame is assembled and attached to the vehicle, a flexiblefabric cover 61 can be attached to the frame, as shown in FIG. 7. Thematerial composing the cover 61 should be strong and flexible towithstand the wear and tear that accompanies repeated uses. The cover 61can be attached to the frame in any known manner, such as through theuse of fabric strips that snap to the main cover 61.

The cover and frame shown in FIG. 7 pertain to an embodiment of thepresent invention having one mast per wheel attachment mechanism. FIG. 8shows an embodiment having two masts per wheel attachment mechanism. Asshown, the extra masts provide an angle to the cover 62 so that thecover 62 conforms more closely to the shape of the car, although thecover 62 does not touch the body of the car at any time.

In addition to changing the shape through the number of masts and framemembers used, the size and height of the present invention can bechanged merely by adjusting the lengths of the masts, longitudinalmembers, and transverse members and the size of the fabric cover. Forexample, referring to FIG. 7, the portable carport can be brought closerto the top of the car by shortening the masts. The frame can also belengthened to better cover the front and back of the car by lengtheningthe longitudinal members. The car can also be better protected by usingmore material for the cover 61, so that more of the material drapes overthe frame and envelops the car. If desired, the material can be placedonly over the top of the frame to provide a flat cover.

Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention have nowbeen described in detail. It is to be noted, however, that thisdescription of these specific embodiments is merely illustrative of theprinciples underlying the inventive concept. It is thereforecontemplated that various modifications of the disclosed embodimentswill, without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention, be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. An attachment mechanism, comprising:a) a shaft;b) an inner plate fixed to the shaft; c) a first clamp member fixed tothe inner plate; and d) a plurality of additional clamp memberspivotally connected to the inner plate; e) the first clamp member andthe plurality of additional clamp members being adjustable to fit aroundand grasp an object when an end of the shaft is placed against theobject.
 2. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, wherein the shaftcomprises:a) an outer tube attached to the inner plate; b) an inner tubeslidingly connected within the outer tube, the inner tube having adistal end and a proximal end; c) a spring having a distal end and aproximal end and located within the inner tube; d) a brace connected tothe distal end of the spring and pressed against the object; and e) ahandle assembly attached to the proximal end of the spring, the handleassembly comprising a handle attached to a handle tube, the handle tubeslidingly connected within the inner tube from the proximal end of theinner tube, the handle tube comprising a spring stop adapted to pressagainst and compress the spring when the handle is pushed in thedirection of the distal end of the inner tube.
 3. The attachmentmechanism of claim 2, wherein the shaft further comprises a lockingmechanism adapted to hold the shaft in a compressed state.
 4. Theattachment mechanism of claim 3, wherein the locking mechanism is a lockpin.
 5. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, further comprising:a) a keyplate fixed to the shaft; and b) a radial arm pivotally connected to theshaft; c) the key plate comprising end stops to prevent the radial armfrom pivoting more than 180 degrees about the shaft.
 6. The attachmentmechanism of claim 5, wherein the key plate is keyed to provideintermediate stops that restrict the pivotal movement of the radial arm.7. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first clamp memberand each of the additional clamp members comprises a radial clamp armslidingly connected to a swing arm so as to allow reciprocating movementand pivotal movement between the radial clamp arm and the swing arm. 8.The attachment mechanism of claim 7, wherein the first clamp member andeach of the additional clamp members further comprises a springconnected to the radial clamp arm and the swing arm and adapted torestrict reciprocating movement between the radial clamp arm and theswing arm.
 9. The attachment mechanism of claim 7, wherein the swing armcomprises a first piece and a second piece slidingly connected so as toallow pivotal movement between the first piece and the second piece andfurther to allow reciprocating motion between the first piece and thesecond piece in a direction substantially perpendicular to thereciprocating motion between the radial clamp arm and the swing arm. 10.The attachment mechanism of claim 9, wherein the first clamp member andeach of the additional clamp members further comprises a springconnected to the first piece and the second piece and adapted torestrict reciprocating movement between the first piece and the secondpiece.